Different types of spreadable, squeezable, and pourable food condiments are known for use in preparing cold-cut sandwiches, hamburgers, hotdogs, bagels, pitas, English muffins, muffins, fish sandwiches, tortillas, crackers, croissants, cold cuts, noodles, and many other types of sandwiches or food products. Such spreadable, squeezable, and pourable food condiments include catsup, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, steak sauce, tartar sauce, peanut butter, jellies, jams, preserves, cheeses, cheese spreads, butter, honey butter and other flavored butters, margarine, marinades, creamers, syrups, spaghetti sauces, gravy sauces, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, glazes, salad dressings, or any other types of spreads, or food dressings. When making sandwiches using the squeezable, pourable, or spreadable condiments as mentioned, the spreadable, squeezable, and pourable condiments which are distributed onto or in sandwiches are often absorbed into the sandwich bread causing the bread to loose its texture, forming a sloppy, soggy, and doughy result. The taste of the bread also suffers. Because of the absorption of the condiments into the bread and the bread becoming soggy and mushy, the sandwich bread often falls and/or tears apart during handling. Also, individuals using the spreadable, squeezable, and pourable condiments oftentimes must contend with the condiment leaking or dripping from the food item during eating. In addition, outdoor activities, such as camping, picnics, and vacations in which food is packed and carried generally includes the packing of condiments such as those recited above. The packing and carrying of the condiments often requires use of a cooler with ice to maintain the temperature of the cooler at a temperature which will insure that freshness of the condiments and other items is maintained. A drawback of packing the bottles and jars of condiments in the cooler is the space taken up in the cooler by the bulky bottles and jars used in packaging the condiments. Smaller versions of bottles and jars used to package condiments have been introduced. However, these smaller versions do not overcome the problems noted above because several types and shapes of jars and bottles must be packed and carried. The present invention overcomes the drawbacks noted above.
This invention relates to new and improved forms for condiments which are applied to sandwiches, hamburgers, hotdogs, bagels, pitas, English muffins, muffins, fish sandwiches, tortillas, crackers, croissants, cold cuts, and any other types of sandwiches or other food products. The food condiment of the instant invention is provided for sale in plastic or cellophane packages containing a plurality of stacked individually wrapped hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve slices. Alternative packaging for the sandwich-sized, single-serve, slices of food condiment involves providing a plurality of face-to-face stacked food condiment slices with each slice separated from the other using paper separator sheets on the face surfaces of each of the food condiment slices. These paper separated food condiment slices may then be further wrapped and packaged in a box or wrapped in cellophane or other desired materials, as an outer packaging material. The packages containing a plurality of food condiment slices can be sold in grocery stores, super markets, and convenience stores to the general public. Also, other establishments, such as delicatessens, convenience stores, sandwich shops, and restaurants may also use the food condiment articles of the instant invention to prepare sandwiches for sale. The form, shape, and consistency of the food condiment article of the instant invention allows the sandwich to be prepared at a time in advance of the sale because the individually sliced food condiments of the instant invention will not affect the texture of the bread used to make the sandwich when the sandwich is stored for an extended period of time.
When preparing a food item, for example, using the individually wrapped sandwich-sized, single-serve slices of food condiment of the instant invention, the individual wrapping is first removed from the food condiment by opening the wrapping and removing the sandwich-sized, single-serve, slice of food condiment. The sandwiched-sized, single-serve, sliced food condiment is then placed on a sandwich, bagel, pita, English muffin, muffin, fish sandwich, tortilla, cracker, croissant, cold cuts, or any other types of sandwiches or food items, without the requirement and inconvenience of spreading, pouring, or squeezing the food condiments onto the food item. The consistency of the sandwich-sized, single-serve, sliced food condiment produced by the instant invention is flexible or limber, has a smooth texture, has a non-sticky feel, and retains the definite sandwich-sized shape or other shape provided to it by the manufacturing process during handling. That is, it can be removed from the hermetically sealed protective wrapping, picked up and handed with fingers, and used in preparing a food item by transferring it whole to the food item being prepared without destroying or breaking-apart the single-serve food condiment slice. The food condiment formed and used in the instant invention is intended to melt or soften when exposed to heat. Thus, individuals using the instant invention would not have to contend with the dripping of the food condiment from the food item during eating, as is often the case when using the spreadable, pourable, or squeezable condiment forms.
As a specific example, an individual preparing a sandwich desiring mayonnaise would remove an individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sliced food condiment of mayonnaise from a hermetically sealed wrapper, and place the sliced mayonnaise food condiment on a first slice of sandwich bread used in preparing the sandwich. The sliced mayonnaise food condiment can be placed on the slice of sandwich bread in contact with the bread without causing the bread to become soggy. That is, the bread does not appreciably or substantially absorb moisture from the sliced mayonnaise food condiment which would cause the bread to loose its texture and become weakened due to sogginess or mushiness. The individual preparing the sandwich can prepare the sandwich at a time in advance of consumption without the worry of the sandwich becoming soggy or mushy during its storage.
An additional advantage of the sliced food condiments of the instant invention includes elimination of the tedious burden of packing and carrying bulky bottles and jars on outings, such as picnics, barbeques, and vacations. Individuals using the instant invention would carry the desired food condiments in the form of sandwich-sized, single-serve, hermetically sealed, individually wrapped slices. A plurality of these individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve food condiment slices may be further packaged in cellophane or plastic. Such packaging containing the plurality of sandwich-sized, single-serve, hermetically sealed, individually wrapped food condiments is easily stored in a cooler without taking up a significant amount of cooler space. Also, use of the sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment forms of the instant invention provides for easy use of food condiments without the messy clean-up required when using spreadable, squeezable, or pourable condiments.
An additional use for the food condiments of the instant invention is barbeques, wherein a sheet layer barbeque sauce food condiment of the instant invention can be placed over the food being cooked, as in an oven, or on a grill. The food being cooked or grilled may also be wrapped in a sheet of barbeque sauce food condiment. When the food wrapped in the food condiment, or when a food condiment having the condiment thereon, is placed on the grill or in an oven, the sheet layered barbeque sauce food condiment melts and coats the food as it cooks. There is no longer a need to apply pourable, squeezable, or spreadable barbeque sauce on the food being cooked or grilled, although additional and different condiment slices can be added to the cooking food.
A first embodiment of the instant invention provides a sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice can be a condiment such as catsup, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, steak sauce, tartar sauce, peanut butter, jellies, jams, preserves, cheeses, cheese spreads, butter, margarine, creamers, syrups, spaghetti sauces, gravy sauces, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, glazes, salad dressings, or any other types of spreads or food dressings. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice, is individually wrapped with a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. A plurality of the individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slices can further be packaged for sale. While all of the food condiment and beverage condiment slices or discs of the instant invention can be of any desired shape and size and thickness necessary for the intended purpose, discussion of the embodiments will refer to only sandwich-sized slices.
The manufacturing process used to produce the food condiment products of the instant embodiment can involve forming the condiments into a large sheet formed condiment and dividing the large sheet formed condiment into individual sandwich-sized, single-serve, slices of food condiment, and then individually wrapping the individual sandwich-sized, single-serve, slices of food condiment in a hermetically sealed protective plastic, thermoplastic, or cellophane single-serve wrapping. A plurality of the hermetically sealed, individually wrapped, single-serve, sandwich-sized, food condiment slices can then be further packaged for sale.
The food condiment is formed into a sheet by a process such as extrusion molding, thin film molding, injection molding, compression molding, or any other process or combination of processes which will accomplish the objective of forming sheet-formed food condiments. The size of the food condiment sheets being manufactured may vary depending on such factors as, among others, subsequent operating or process steps, capacity of machinery, and type of process used. The food condiment sheets may have any desired thickness. As an example, the thickness of the condiment sheets, and the resulting individual food condiment slices, can be determined by the average amount or average volume of a particular food condiment generally added to a sandwich or other food item for consumption. The formed food condiment sheets are subsequently divided by a cutting operation into sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slices. The cutting operation uses a cutting tool which has heated cutting blades or non-heated cutting blades, which provides a smooth cut. The final product of the manufacturing process is a sandwich-sized, single-serve, slice of a food condiment, having a desired thickness, which is hermetically sealed in an individual wrapping. A plurality of the hermetically sealed individually wrapped sandwiched-sized, single-serve, food condiment slices can be further packaged in a labeled, protective plastic, thermoplastic, or cellophane wrapping for shipping, dispensing and sale.
The manufacturing process may also produce the sandwich-sized, single-serve, slices of food condiment individually. Sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slices can be formed directly by a manufacturing process that does not require formation of large condiment sheets followed by its subsequent division. This manufacturing process can include molding processes such as extrusion molding, pouring, injection molding, or any other molding process, or combination of processes, that will accomplish the objective of transferring the food condiment into or onto molding surfaces having the desired final shape. Following the molding process, the molded sandwich-sized, food condiment slices are removed from the molds followed by the step of individually wrapping, using a hermetic seal, each single-serve, sandwich-sized, food condiment slice. A plurality of the hermetically sealed, individually wrapped, single-serve, sandwich-sized, food condiment slices may be further packaged for sale, as indicated previously. The alternative also exists here for using separator sheets between each individually manufactured slice of food condiment in a stack such that one face surface of two individual food condiment slices would share opposite faces of a separator sheet.
A second embodiment of the instant invention is to provide a sandwich-sized, singe-serve, combination food condiment slices comprising at least two food condiments face-fused together to form a sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slices are individually wrapped with a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. A plurality of the individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slices can be further packaged for sale. The structure of the individual slices of the sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slices each has an outer face surface and an inner face surface. The two inner face surfaces are fused to each other forming a sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused, combination food condiment slice. The first outer face surface of the face-fused combination food condiment slice is comprised of a first food condiment. The second outer face surface is comprised of a second food condiment. It is noted that the first food condiment and the second food condiment can be the same. Again, the first food condiment and the second food condiment, of the face-fused combination food condiment slice, are fused together at their inner face surfaces. Fusion of the inner face surfaces of the first and second food condiment slices forms the sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice. The fused combination food condiment slice has a first face side comprising the first food condiment and a second face side comprising the second food condiment. As noted previously, the first food condiment can be the same food condiment as the second food condiment The fused combination food condiment slice may also have additional food condiment slices added to the fused combination food condiment structure, if so desired. A resulting food condiment structure comprising three single food condiment slices would have one of the three single food condiment slices sandwiched between and fused to the inner face surfaces of the outer two food condiment slices.
Formation of the fused combination food condiment slices can be accomplished by different methods. A first method describes steps for making a fused combination food condiment slice having two different food condiments. Initially, each of the two separate food condiment sheets, which can be formed by the molding methods previously disclosed in the first embodiment of the instant invention and hereby incorporated in this discussion, is heated on one of its surfaces to the flow point of the food condiment. The heated surfaces of the two separate food condiment sheets are then mated or contacted together such that the heated and mated surfaces bond together to form a fused combination food condiment sheet. The first food condiment sheet forms one outer face surface of the fused combination food condiment sheet and the second food condiment sheet forms the opposite outer face surface of the fused combination food condiment sheet. The fused combination food condiment sheet is then processed through a cutting step in which the fused combination food condiment sheet is divided, by cutting, into separate sandwich-sized, single-serve, fused combination food condiment slices.
As an alternative method to fusing the food condiment sheet together, an edible bonding layer may be sandwiched between the first food condiment sheet and the second food condiment sheet to join the two food condiment sheets together. In this alternative bonding method, the edible bonding layer can be preheated on both sides to its flow temperature and mated or contacted to the two food condiment sheets in separate steps. One of the two preheated face surfaces of the edible bonding sheet is mated and bonded with an inner face surface of the first food condiment sheet. Then, the other preheated face surface of the edible bonding sheet is then mated and bonded to an inner face surface of the second food condiment sheet. It is noted that because both face surfaces of the edible bonding sheet have been preheated to the flow point of the edible bonding sheet, the mating and bonding steps may alternatively occur simultaneously, wherein both food condiment sheets are mated and bonded to the edible bonding sheet in a single step, rather than mating and attaching one and then mating and attaching the other in separate steps. As a further alternative, one face surface of the edible bonding sheet can be preheated to the flow point temperature of the edible bonding material and then mated with a face surface of an inner first food condiment sheet. Following this bonding step, the second face surface of the edible bonding sheet is preheated to the flow point temperature of the edible bonding sheet and mated with an inner face surface of the second food condiment sheet. The resulting fused combination food condiment sheet which results from any of the above mating and bonding processes is then processed through a cutting step in which the fused combination food condiment sheet is divided, by cutting, into separate sandwich-sized, single-serve, fused combination food condiment slices. The cutting device used to perform the cutting step may optionally have a surface used for compression and optionally the compression surface may be heated to a temperature which will allow at least one of the first food condiment or the second food condiment to flow. The compression surface allows, although not required, a decorative design, crimping, or border to be embossed into the periphery or other desired area of the fused combination food condiment slice during the cutting step. It may also provide or form a raised border to the sandwich-sized, single-serve, fused combination food condiment slice. The cutting device may optionally be heated to the flow point temperature of the first food condiment or the second food condiment during the cutting step to provide smooth cut edges to the sandwich-sized, single-serve, fused combination food condiment slices. Also, rather than heating the edible bonding material, the food condiment sheets can be heated to their flow points such that they are softened at their surface and then bonded to the edible bonding sheet. Alternatively, all sheets can be heated at their surfaces for bonding.
A further alternative of the second embodiment is to bond by fusion a first food condiment slice to a second food condiment slice by performing the fusion in an area of the face-to-face food condiment slices other than the peripheral edges. This process involves heating an area of the inner face of at least one of the food condiment slices to its flow point and is contacted with the inner face surface of the second food condiment slice.
An additional method for fusing two separate food condiment sheets involves the steps of mating a face surface of a first food condiment sheet with a face surface of a second food condiment sheet that has been positioned on a work surface. Next, the mating edge portions of the two mating face-to-face food condiment sheets are restrained by friction between the two mating surfaces of the condiment sheets, or by holding devices, clamps, or any other desired means, at the edge portions of the mating condiment sheets, if necessary, such that the opposing food condiment sheets do not substantially shift or move from their face-to-face relationship. Next, at least one compression/heating/cutting device is contacted with the outer face surface of the upper food condiment sheet. The compression/heating/cutting device is heated at its peripheral edge molding or reshaping surface and its cutting surface to the flow temperature of the first food condiment or the second food condiment. The compression/heating/cutting device is contacted to the outer surface of the upper exposed food condiment sheet. The compression/heating/cutting device compresses and heats at least the upper food condiment sheet in the area adjacent to or in contact with the compression molding surface blades. This step also cuts and forms a sandwich-sized, single-serve, fused combination food condiment slice from the two mating food condiment sheets by cutting through the two food condiment sheets and bonding the edge portions of the two food condiment sheets together by heat molding of the peripheral edge portions adjacent the cut. A decorative design, crimping, or border, may also be embossed into the bonded periphery or another desired area of the sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused food condiment slice during the cutting and compression step.
A third method for fusing two separate food condiments to form a face-fused combination food condiment can be performed using a molding process such as extrusion molding or injection molding or pouring. This process produces individual sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slices. The process uses a plurality of molds having the shape of the desired sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice. A predetermined quantity of a first food condiment is injected, poured, or extruded into the mold. The mold may be heated or cooled or be at room temperature depending on the process and the food condiment being molded. After a predetermined time, a predetermined quantity of a second food condiment is ejected, poured, or extruded into the mold and over the upper surface of the first food condiment that was previously ejected, poured, or extruded into the mold. The temperature of the second ejected, poured, or extruded food condiment or the first ejected, poured, or extruded food condiment, or both causes bonding of the two food condiments at their mating face surfaces. The mating face surfaces can be the entire face surfaces of the food condiments, or a portion thereof The resulting sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice is then removed from the mold.
As an example, an individual preparing a sandwich desiring to use catsup and mustard on a sandwich can do so by removing a sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard from its hermetically sealed protective wrapping by opening the wrapping and removing the sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, face-fused combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard is then placed whole on a sandwich without the requirement and inconvenience of spreading, pouring, or squeezing the two condiments onto the bread or sandwich. The advantages of combining the condiments into a face-fused combination of two or more condiments are that only one package need be purchased rather than two or more; reduced weight and number of condiment packages when on outings vacations, picnics, and barbeques, for example; much easier to storexe2x80x94less storage space needed; and reduction in the time needed to prepare a sandwich or cook a food.
A modification of the second embodiment is to provide a sandwich-sized, singe-serve, side-fused combination food condiment comprising food condiments sections fused together at their edge or side portions to form a sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused combination food condiment slice. The term side-fused is used to distinguish it from face-fused. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused combination food condiment slices are individually wrapped with a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. A plurality of the individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused combination food condiment slices can be further packaged for sale. The structure of the sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused combination food condiment slice has food condiment sections joined together by fusion of their edge or side portions. Each of the food condiment sections has a front face surface and a back face surface. Fusion of the food condiment slices forms a side-fused food condiment slice having a front face surface and a back face surface originating from the front and back face surfaces of the individual food condiment sections. Each of the food condiment sections is fused with at least a second one of said food condiment sections at their edge or side portions. Depending on the structure of the food condiment a portion of the edge or side portion of each condiment section or all of the edges or side portions is fused to the edges or side portions of an adjacent food condiment section. The front face surface of the sandwich-sized, single serve, side-fused combination food condiment slice is comprised of at least two food condiment sections and at least one food condiment. The back face surface is comprised of at least two food condiment sections and at least one food condiment. The first food condiment section and the second food condiment section, of the side-fused combination food condiment slice, are fused together at their edge or side portions. Fusion of the edge or side portions of the first and second food condiment sections forms a side-fused combination food condiment slice. The side-fused combination food condiment slice has a front face surface comprising at least two food condiment sections and a back face surface comprising at least two food condiment sections. The side-fused combination food condiment slice may have one or more food condiments making up the side-fused combination food condiment structure, if so desired. In this modification, side-fusing two separate food condiment sections to form a side-fused combination food condiment slice can be accomplished by initially forming two separate food condiment sheets, each of which can be formed by the molding methods previously disclosed in the first embodiment of the instant invention and hereby incorporated in this discussion. Also, face fused combination food condiment sheets can also be used in this modification and are formed by the molding methods previously disclosed in the second embodiment of this invention and is hereby incorporated in this discussion. After formation of the food condiment sheets, a cutting operation is performed to divide the single food condiment sheets into a plurality of cut shapes. The cutting operation can be performed using, for example, a die cutting apparatus which spans the length and width of the food condiment sheet such that the cut shapes are formed in a single mating of the die with the food condiment sheet. The cut shapes of one single food condiment sheet are matched and joined at their side surfaces to cut shapes formed from a second single food condiment sheet. The fusion of the cut shapes forms sandwich-sized, single serve, side-fused, combination food condiment slices, such that the shapes are placed into and fused within molds. Also, the shapes are paired or matched such that a side-fused, combination food condiment sheet is formed. The sheet can then be further divided to form sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused, combination food condiment slices. The method or forming sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused, combination food condiment slices using side fusion involves preheating the side surfaces of the cut shapes to their flow point and contacting the preheated side surfaces of the food condiment cut shapes together. As an example, a cutting operation can be used to cut rectangular strips from first and second single food condiment sheets. The cut food condiment rectangular strips from the first food condiment sheet are then positioned in an alternating side-by-side relationship with the cut food condiment rectangular strips from the second food condiment sheet. The side surfaces of the rectangular strips of the first and second food condiments are heated to their flow points and fused, resulting in a food condiment sheet having alternating first and second food condiment strips fused together at their side surfaces. The resulting food condiment sheet is then cut into strip sheets having a sandwich-sized width. The strip sheets having a sandwich-sized width along their horizontal axis are then further divided a plurality of times perpendicular to their longitudinal axis to provide a sandwich-sized length. The resulting food condiment is a sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused, combination food condiment slice. The number of alternating food condiment strips in a single food condiment slice is a function of the width of the food condiment strips cut from the first and second food condiment sheets. The widths are predetermined based on the total desired number of condiment strips, and the number of condiment strips of each type of condiment desired in the final sandwich-sized, single-serve, combination food condiment slice. It is noted that the first and second food condiment strips can be cut having a width such that upon side fusion of an appropriate number of the first and second food condiment strips, a food condiment sheet results having the sandwich-sized length or width. This step avoids the process of forming larger side-fused food condiment sheet versions requiring division of the larger side-fused food condiment sheet into strip sheets. Also, as previously mentioned, face fused combination food condiment sheets can also be used as a source of food condiment strips. The same alternating pattern and method can be used as discussed above for forming sandwich-sized, single-serve, side-fused combination food condiment slices. Individual food condiment slices can also be formed from the die cut operation by placement of the appropriate number of food condiment die cut sections into individual molds to form a desired pattern. Sections from different food condiment die cut sheets can be used to fit the desired pattern. Fusion of the side surfaces is then performed.
Additionally, two or more of the formed side-fused combination food condiment sheets or slices can be fusion bonded together at their face surfaces. The same pattern, condiments, and orientation can be used on both sheets. However, other patterns, condiments, and orientation can be substituted.
A third embodiment of the instant invention is to provide a sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slice. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slice is also individually wrapped with a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. A plurality of these individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slices can be stacked and further packaged for sale. The woven sheet can be manufactured by weaving strips and/or strands of a desired food condiment that have been cut from a food condiment sheet previously formed through extrusion molding, thin film molding, injection molding, compression molding, or any other process which will accomplish the objective of forming sheet-formed food condiments. Following formation of the food condiment sheets, the strips and/or strands of food condiment can be cut from the sheet of food condiment using a cutting operation. The strips and/or strands are then interwoven to form a woven food condiment sheet. The woven food condiment sheet comprises one or more food condiments. Strips and/or strands of one or more food condiments are woven together at any desired angle to each other. It is also noted that the strips and/or strands can be twisted along their longitudinal axis prior to weaving to provide a helical, coiled, or curled structure or form to the condiment strip and/or strand.
As an example of a particular structure and design for a woven food condiment, strips and/or strands of a first food condiment can be placed parallel or at an angle to each other on a work surface. A second food condiment in the form of strips and/or strands, which may be the same or different from the first food condiment, are then be interwoven with the first food condiment at any desired angle. Any desired pattern of weaving can be used and any desired angle can be used. When a constant size, width, length, or thickness, of strands and/or strips are used in weaving the food condiment single serve slice, the degree of tightness, packing, or closeness of the strands and/or strips in a given direction or angle depends on the amounts of the first and second food condiments desired. The size, shape or thickness of the strands and/or strips can also be varied in conjunction with the degree of tightness, packing, or closeness of the strands and/or strips in the weaving to determine the number of strands and/or strips of each food condiment to be used in the weaving to obtain the desired amount of each food condiment for the resulting sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment. After the weaving step has been completed, a cutting operation is performed on the woven food condiment sheet to produce sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slices. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slices formed by the cutting operation can be of any desired geometrical shape; such as square, rectangular, circular, triangular, oval, etc. The next step in the process is to ensure that the sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slices are retained in the woven form. To accomplish this, the peripheral edge portion of the woven food condiment slice can be compression molded, using a tool or device, to bond, tie, merge, or join together the margin ends of the overlapping strands and/or strips of the peripheral edge portion of the woven food condiment slice. The tool can also be heated, if desired, to a temperature which will allow at least one of the first food condiment or the second food condiment to flow and bond to at least one of the first food condiment or the second food condiment. The compression surface used for the compression operation may be combined with the cutting tool such that both the cutting and compression operations can be performed together. A decorative design or border may also be embossed into the periphery of the woven food condiment slice during the compression and optional heating step. As an alternative, a preformed edible edge sealer may be applied and heat sealed to the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice to retain the woven food condiment slice in its woven form by preheating the edible edge sealer to its flow temperature, applying the preheated edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice, and compressing the preheated edible edge sealer to bond the edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice to thereby retain the weaving pattern given to the woven food condiment slice. Alternatively, the preformed edible edge sealer can first be applied to the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice and, next, heat sealing the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice using a tool or device to compress and heat the preformed edible edge sealer to its flow temperature such that the preformed edible edge sealer flows into and around the interstices of the woven peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice to bond the edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven food condiment slice to thereby retain the weaving pattern given to the woven food condiment slice.
The woven strips and/or strands may also be formed by extrusion of the strips and/or strands from an extrusion apparatus onto a work surface. The strips and/or strands may be formed from one or more food condiments. A plurality of extrusion nozzles can be used to extrude the food condiment to form the woven food condiment sheet with the desired angle between the strips and/or strands.
An alternative to the third embodiment of the instant invention is to provide a sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slice comprising forming the sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven food condiment slice by weaving strands and/or strips of a face-fused combination food condiment into a woven sheet. This form of the woven food condiment is also individually wrapped with a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. A plurality of these individually wrapped, hermetically sealed, sandwich-sized, single-serve, combination, woven food condiment slices can be stacked and further packaged for sale. The combination woven food condiment sheet can be manufactured by weaving face-fused combination strips and/or strands comprised of the desired food condiments. The face-fused combination strips and/or strands are formed by a cutting operation performed on previously formed face-fused combination food condiment sheets. The first step for producing woven, sandwich-sized, single-serve, combination, food condiment slices is to produce food condiment sheets of a single food condiment. The method of producing food condiment sheets of a single food condiment was discussed previously in the first embodiment of the instant invention and is hereby incorporated in this discussion. As discussed, food condiment sheets can be formed through extrusion molding, thin film molding, injection molding, compression molding, or any other process or combination of processes which will accomplish the objective of producing sheet-formed food condiments. The next step is to produce face-fused combination food condiment sheets. Methods of producing face-fused combination food condiment sheets were discussed in the second embodiment of the instant invention and is hereby incorporated into this discussion. Following formation of the face-fused condiment food condiment sheet, strips and/or strands are cut from the face-fused combination food condiment sheet using a cutting operation. The strips and/or strands are comprised of a first food condiment bonded or face-fused to a second food condiment. The strips and/or strands have a first food condiment on a first face surface and a second food condiment on a second face surface. The strips and/or strands cut from the face-fused combination food condiment sheet are then interwoven to form a woven face-fused combination food condiment sheet. The strips and/or strands may be woven at any desired angle to each other. Also, since the strands and/or strips have one food condiment on one face and a second food condiment on the opposite face, the weaving operation may be accomplished such that the first food condiment is on one face of the woven combination food condiment sheet and the second food condiment is on the opposite face of the woven combination food condiment sheet. Alternatively, the weaving operation can be performed such that adjacent strips and/or strands used to form each face of the woven combination food condiment sheet can be reversed such that one strand or strip displays a first food condiment and the adjacent strand and/or strip displays a second food condiment. The result being that each face of the woven combination food condiment sheet has first and second food condiments displayed.
Additionally, the woven fused combination food condiment sheet may have strips and/or strands cut from a fused combination food condiment sheet and strips and/or strands cut from a food condiment sheet that is formed from only one food condiment. This method of weaving strips and/or strands cut from a fused combination food condiment sheet and strips and/or strands cut from a food condiment sheet formed from only one food condiment allows use of three condiments in a woven food condiment sheet. Three condiments can also be provided in a woven condiment sheet by weaving strips and/or strands from a fused combination food condiment sheet having three different condiments fused together. Also, weaving of strips and/or strands from a first fused combination food condiment sheet, formed from first and second food condiments, with strips and/or strands from a second fused combination food condiment sheet formed from third and fourth food condiments allows construction of a woven food condiment sheet having four different food condiments. Any number of condiments can be woven into a sheet woven combination food condiment sheet. As an additional embodiment, woven combination food condiment sheets can be formed from strips and/or strands from two different single condiment sheets. A second woven combination food condiment sheet can be formed from strips and/or strands from a third and fourth single condiment sheets. The two separate woven combination condiment food condiment sheets can then be combined at their face surfaces by preheating an edible bonding layer to its flow point. The preheated performed edible bonding layer is then applied to the upper surface of the first woven combination food condiment sheets such that the edible preheated bonding layer bonds to the strips and/or strands of the woven combination food condiment food condiment sheet. The second woven combination food condiment sheet is then applied to the opposite surface of the preheated preformed edible bonding sheet such that the edible preheated preformed edible bonding sheet bonds to the strips and/or strands of the second woven combination food condiment sheet. The woven combination food condiment sheet formed has a first outer face having a woven food condiment sheet comprised of woven food condiments and a second outer face, opposite the first face, and having a woven food condiment sheet comprised of woven food condiments. The two inner faces being joined in a face-to-face relationship by an edible bonding sheet. The edible bonding sheet also acts to retain the woven condiment strips and/or strands in a woven form for subsequent cutting and molding operations.
Alternatively, the woven strips and/or strands of the woven food condiment sheet can be retained in their woven form by preheating an edible sealant sheet to its flow point and applying the preheated edible sealant sheet to the upper exposed surface of the woven food condiment sheet such that the preheated edible sealant sheet contacts, melts, and flows over, into, and around the interstices of the woven strips and/or strands of the woven food condiment to thereby retain the weaving pattern given to the woven food condiment for subsequent cutting or molding operations.
A further alternative would be to spray the woven strips and/or strands of the woven food condiment sheet with a liquid edible bonding material prior to the cutting operation to retain the weaving pattern given to the woven food condiment.
As an example of a particular structure and design for a woven combination food condiment slice, face-fused strips and/or strands of a first face-fused combination food condiment sheet are placed parallel to each other on a work surface. A second face-fused combination food condiment in the form of face-fused strips and/or strands, which may be the same or different from the first face-fused combination food condiment, can then be interwoven with the first face-fused strips and/or strands at any desired angle. Any desired pattern of weaving can be used and any desired angle can be used. When a constant size, width, or length, of face-fused strands and/or strips are used in weaving the single-serve, combination food condiment sheet, the degree of tightness, packing, or closeness of the face-fused strands and/or strips in a given direction depends on the amounts of each of the food condiments desired. The size, shape or thickness of the face-fused strands and/or strips can also be varied in conjunction with the degree of tightness, packing, or closeness of the face-fused strands and/or strips in the weaving to determine the number of face-fused strands and/or strips of each food condiment to be used in the weaving to obtain the desired amount of each food condiment for the resulting sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven combination food condiment. After the weaving step has been completed, a cutting operation is performed on the woven combination food condiment sheet to produce sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven combination food condiment slices. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven combination food condiment slices formed by the cutting operation can be of any desired geometrical shape; such as square, rectangular, circular, triangular, oval, etc. The next step in the process is to ensure that the sandwich-sized, single-serve, woven combination food condiment slices are retained in the woven form. To accomplish this, the peripheral edge portion of the woven combination food condiment slice can be compressed, using a tool or device, to bond, tie, merge, or join the margin ends of the overlapping strands and/or strips of the peripheral edge portion of the woven fused combination food condiment slice together. The tool can also be heated to a temperature which will allow at least one of the first food condiment or the second food condiment of the face-fused strips and/or strands to flow and bond to at least one of the neighboring first food condiment or the second food condiment face-fused strips and/or strands. The compression surface may be combined with the cutting tool such that both the cutting and compression operations can be performed together. A decorative design, crimping, or border may also be embossed into the periphery of the woven combination food condiment slice during the compression and optional heating step.
As an alternative, a preformed edible edge sealer may be applied and heat sealed to the peripheral cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice to retain the woven combination food condiment slice in its woven form by preheating the edible edge sealer to its flow temperature, applying the preheated edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice, and compressing the preheated edible edge sealer to bond the edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice to thereby retain the weaving pattern given to the woven food condiment slice.
Alternatively, the preformed edible edge sealer can first be applied to the periphery and cut edges of the woven fused combination food condiment slice and, next, heat sealing the periphery and cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice using a tool to compress and heat the preformed edible edge sealer to its flow temperature such that the preformed edible edge sealer flows into and around the interstices of the woven periphery and cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice to bond the edible edge sealer to the peripheral cut edges of the woven combination food condiment slice to thereby retain the weaving pattern given to the woven combination food condiment slice.
As an example of the third embodiment, an individual preparing a cold-cut sandwich desiring to use catsup and mustard on a sandwich can do so by removing a woven combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard from the hermetically sealed protective wrapping by opening the plastic wrapping and removing the woven combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard from the cellophane or plastic wrapping. The woven combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard is then placed whole in or on a sandwich without the requirement and inconvenience of spreading, pouring, or squeezing the two condiments onto the bread, item, or sandwich. The advantages of combining the condiments into a woven combination food condiment slice are that only one package need be purchased rather than two or more bottles and jars; reduced weight and number of packages when on outings, vacations, picnics, and barbeques, for example; much easier to storexe2x80x94less storage space needed; and reduces time needed for preparing sandwiches or cooking a food item that uses a condiment of the instant invention.
A forth embodiment of the instant invention is to provide a sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice comprising at least one food condiment. The at least one food condiment in the sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice exists as a plurality of discontinuous or chopped pieces which are intermixed and fused together at their surfaces. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slices are individually packaged in a hermetically sealed protective wrapping. The chopped pieces of food condiment making up the chopped food condiment slice are intermixed with each other. If there is more than one condiment, the number of discontinuous, broken, or chopped pieces of each food condiment is approximately equal and proportionately mixed in the sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice. However, there may be variation in which one of the chopped food condiments may be present in a larger amount than the other chopped food condiments. The sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice can be formed by first producing a sheet formed chopped food condiment sheet. The chopped food condiment sheet may be formed from a chopped food condiment sheet of a single food condiment, or a plurality of food condiments, or a face-fused food condiment sheet, or a side-fused food condiment sheet, or any combination thereof Initially, a food condiment sheet of a single food condiment is produced. The method of producing the food condiment sheets of a single food condiment was discussed in the first embodiment of the instant invention and is hereby incorporated in this discussion. The method of producing face-fused combination food condiment sheets was discussed in the second embodiment of the instant invention and is hereby incorporated in this discussion. As discussed, food condiment sheets can be formed through extrusion molding, thin-film molding, injection molding, compression molding, or any other process, or combination of processes that will accomplish the objectives of forming sheet-formed food condiments. After forming a food condiment sheet of a single food condiment, or a face-fused combination food condiment sheet, or a side-fused combination food condiment, the food condiment sheet is divided, by cutting, to form chopped food condiment pieces. The cutting operation can be performed using a die cutter with a width and length equal to or larger than the food condiment sheet wherein the cutting apparatus is used to stamp the food condiment sheet to form a plurality of food condiment pieces. The food condiment pieces can then be processed through a hopper or chamber which will eject the chopped pieces of food condiment, by air or inert gas blowing, at a sheet-forming mold to form a chopped food condiment sheet, or a slice-forming mold to form a sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice. The temperature of the air used to blow the chopped food condiment pieces should be such that it heats, cools, or maintains the temperature of the outer surfaces of the chopped food condiment pieces so that the chopped food condiment pieces will adhere to each other at their contacting surfaces after distribution in the mold. If a chopped food condiment sheet is formed through the blowing operation, the chopped food condiment sheet is thereafter processed through a subsequent cutting step in which the chopped food condiment sheet is divided into separate sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slices. The chopped food condiment sheet can be made by blowing one or more different types of food condiments into a mold to form a chopped combination food condiment sheet. Also, fused condiment pieces that originate from fused combination food condiment sheets can be used to form chopped food condiment sheets, in which they alone are used, or the fused chopped food condiment pieces can be used in conjunction with chopped food condiment pieces of a single food condiment. That is, different combinations of food condiment pieces can be used to form a chopped food condiment sheet. The cutting device used to perform the cutting operation to form sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slices may optionally have a surface used for compression and optionally both the compression surface and cutting surface may be heated to a temperature that will allow at least one of the food condiments represented in the chopped food condiment sheet to flow. The compression surface, if desired, allows a decorative design or border, to be embossed into the periphery or other desired area of the chopped food condiment slice during the cutting step and compression step. The compression surface of the device mates with and compresses a peripheral portion of the chopped food condiment slice. It may also provide or form a raised border, or crimped border to the chopped food condiment slice. The optional heating of the cutting blades to the flow point temperature of at least one of the chopped food condiments, provides smooth cut edges to the sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice. If a sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice is formed by the blowing operation, then the sandwich-sized, single-serve, food condiment slice is removed from the mold before, after, or during cooling.
The food condiment pieces may also be formed by extrusion, in which the food condiment is extruded. The extruded food condiment can be cut or divided as it is extruded, or it can be extruded and divided in a separate cutting operation. The extruded food condiment pieces can then be processed through a hopper which ejects the extruded cut pieces of food condiment, by air or inert gas blowing, at a sheet-forming mold to form a sheet, or at a slice-forming mold to form a sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped food condiment slice. The extrusion apparatus may also provide multiple extrusion outlets that allow extrusion and division of more than one food condiment. Also, the extrusion apparatus can provide for fusion and bonding of different types of food condiments at their surfaces during extrusion. The bonded extruded food condiment is then divided by cutting into chopped food condiment pieces. Depending on the temperature of the extruded, cut, food condiment, the temperature of the air or inert gas used to blow the chopped food condiment pieces should be such that it heats, cools, or maintains the temperature of the outer surfaces of the chopped food condiment pieces so that the chopped food condiment pieces will adhere to each other at their contacting surfaces in the mold. The ejection apparatus used to eject the cut pieces of food condiment at the molding surfaces, can also be used to coat the cut condiment pieces with an edible bonding material, such as by spraying an edible bonding material in liquid form on the cut extruded condiment pieces prior to their entry into the ejection apparatus, during residence in the ejection apparatus, or following ejection from the ejection apparatus, so as to enhance adhesion of the food condiment pieces at their contacting surfaces.
Another method of forming side-fusion food condiment slices involves an alternative extrusion and cutting method. The extrusion apparatus is provided with extrusion nozzles with the desired shape through which food condiment compositions are extruded. To enhance fusion and bonding of the extruded food condiment materials, the exit portion of the extrusion nozzles may be heated to the flow point of the extruded condiments. As the heated surfaces of the extruded condiments contact, adhesion and bonding occur to attach the individual extruded food condiments together at their longitudinal side surfaces, thereby forming a food condiment loaf. Following extrusion, the formed food condiment loaf is divided into slices or discs, as by cutting. Any number of extrusion nozzles, types of condiments, and extruded condiment shape can be used.
As an example, an individual preparing a cold-cut sandwich desiring to use catsup and mustard on the sandwich can do so by removing a sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard, which is formed of intermixed food condiment pieces of catsup and mustard fused at their surfaces, from a hermetically sealed protective wrapping by opening the wrapping and removing the sandwich-sized, single-serve, chopped combination food condiment slice of catsup and mustard and then placing the slice on the sandwich without the requirement and inconvenience of spreading, pouring, or squeezing the two condiments onto the bread or sandwich. The advantages of combining the at least two condiments into a chopped form are that only one package need be purchased rather than two or more; reduced weight and number of packages when on outings vacations, picnics, or barbeques, for example, much easier to storexe2x80x94less storage space needed; and reduces time needed for preparing sandwiches or cooking a food item.
Examples include sandwiches made at home for eating at lunch, sandwiches made by a restaurant for delivery or take-out service, and sandwiches prepared, packaged and displayed in a grocery store deli or convenience store for subsequent sale to a customer. A sandwich is made by placing a first slice of bread on a work surface, placing a single-serve food condiment slice on the first slice, placing a sandwich filler or optionally placing a sandwich filler on the single-serve food condiment slice, placing a second slice of the same or different single-serve food condiment slice or optionally placing a second food condiment slice of the same or different single-serve food condiment. The single-serve food condiment slice, optional sandwich filler, optional second single-serve food condiment slice, and other desired sandwich filler food items can be added to the sandwich in any desired order. It is noted, however, that initial placement of the single-serve food condiment on the bread surface may shield the bread slice from moisture by additionally functioning as barrier to moisture, which aids in preventing sogginess of the bread.
A further embodiment, which is drawn to beverages, includes forming dairy or non-dairy creamer or coffee creamer beverage slices for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cold chocolate, or other food or beverage items. The dairy or non-dairy creamer or coffee creamer beverage condiment slice can also be sweetened and/or flavored. As an example, an individual preparing a cup of coffee, and desiring cream for the coffee, would add a dairy or non-dairy coffee creamer beverage slice to the coffee and stir. The coffee creamer beverage slice dissolves in the coffee releasing and distributing the dissolved coffee creamer beverage slice to the coffee solution. If the individual desires a sweetener, the coffee creamer beverage slice can also be combined with sugar or an artificial sweetener. This allows an individual to add cream and sweetener to the coffee without the inconvenience of adding two different beverage condiments separately. The beverage slices of the instant invention are made using the same methods as used to prepare the food condiment slices of the instant invention. Also, the beverage slices of the instant invention may have the same structures, sizes, and shapes as the food condiment slices of the instant invention. It is noted that the dairy or non-dairy coffee or tea creamer beverage slice may also be used on food items such as ice cream or strawberries.
A further embodiment is drawn to spaghetti sauces which are formed into food slices according to the methods described in the instant invention. A spaghetti sauce sheet or slice of desired size, flavorings, additives, ingredients, etc., can be laid over prepared noodles and heated, as by microwave, to melt the spaghetti sauce sheet or slice over the noodles. The spaghetti sauce sheet or slice may also be heated separate from the noodles and poured over the noodles, if desired.
A further embodiment of the instant invention is drawn to gravy slices for meats, mashed potatoes, whole potatoes, etc. A gravy sauce slice of desired size, flavoring, additives, ingredients, etc., can be laid over the prepared food item. The heat from the food item can melt the gravy sauce slice or the food with the gravy sauce slice thereon can be heated, as by microwave, to melt the gravy slice. The gravy sauce slice can also be heated and melted separate from the food item and then poured over the food item.
It is noted that the food condiment slices of the instant invention may be low fat, no fat, salt-free, cholesterol-free, and sugar-free, if desired.
It is noted that any of the food condiment slices produced by the instant invention can be formed from one or more of the following condiments and may exist in any of the shapes, forms, designs, or condiment combinations of the instant invention. That list comprises catsup, ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, barbeque sauce, steak sauce, tartar sauce, peanut butter, jellies, jams, preserves, cheeses, cheese spreads, butter, honey butter and other flavored butters, margarine and flavored margarines, marinades, creamers, syrups, spaghetti sauces, gravy sauces, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, glazes, salad dressings, or any other types of spreads, or food dressings.